Suggestions for a Spring Round Robin

The subject of a Spring Round Robin came up in other threads and I thought it might be a good idea to make it into a thread of its own.

Okay, my suggestion would be to mix up the Round Robin a bit and maybe throw some Begonia leaves or Hoya cuttings in the mix.

Since most of us are growing other plants besides Gesneriads, maybe that would be a welcome addition.

I have a quite a few Begonias and Hoyas and would love to share. Particularly the Begonias need to be propagated anyway.

Olaf

In past round robins, there is usually a few "other than gessies" plants thrown in. Some people in the trade don't have many gesneriads and others just have plants they like to grow and want to share them. So I think it would be fine to add what you want to the package.

tish

Thanks, Tish, for the heads up! :)

I have never before participated in a Round Robin and I thought that this thread might answer the questions that other "newbies" would have as well.

Olaf

Soooooo looking forward to the Spring RR, the only one I was lucky to participate in was so much fun! Thanks for starting the thread Olaf, lots of time to ask questions and discuss the whole thing.

Exactly! I think that a Round Robin could use a little bit of thought and coordination. It's hard to be disappointed by any surprise package but it would be good to let everybody know how to package a cutting for safe shipping and probably a while in a box etc.

Also, I haven't quite understood the ground rules of a Round Robin yet. I think that I got it for the most part but I'm not quite sure.

So, if anybody could please explain the basics of the whole thing. That would be greatly appreciated! :)

Olaf

I have particpated in a few and they are a lot of fun. I think the most important thing is to make sure the labels are attached to the plants and packed carefully. It is not hard to pack plants it just takes a bit of time.

It is a great way to get something new!

PatM.

Exactly!

So, everybody make sure to have all the expert equipment at hand: zip-loc bags, labels, press'n'seal, plastic wrap, masking tape, a Sharpie, some paper towels... :)

BTW: I just put down a dozen or so leaves of Begonia 'Edge Of Sunset', a beautiful Australian hybrid...

This could be fun - I would be interested as well. Perhaps we could get things coordinated and then when the weather is a bit better, we could do the actual trade.

I have some gessies - but mostly NOIDs'. However, I can provide pictures of their blooms, so people would know what they are getting.

The nice thing is we have plenty of time to get things started and growin! Yippee!! LOL! PatM.

Exactly! I already got started on some Sinningias, Kohlerias and Begonias. This is going to be fun! :)

I'd suggest that in RR's it's good to trim rot off and rewet or cut stems so they may last longer en route to the next people. It's also polite to just take one of a cutting, if several are available, so others down the line may have some too. Don't take a much larger number of things than you have to contribute. I'd like to see the route set up so that the box travels the least distance from point to point. In other words, don't have the box traversing the country a few times and skipping people who would be at a closer delivery spot.
I like the idea of a large variety of offerings. We do all grow lots of different things besides AV's and Gessies. It's fun to branch out and try something that you'd have never considered.
Jamie

Excellent points, Jamie!

Sounds like a little clever planning can go a long way here.

The coolest thing is that a Round Robin is such an old fashioned, time honored tradition. I just love this kind of stuff! What an incredibly cool thing for both beginners and experienced growers to get their hands on new material and help spread some rare species and hybrids around and thereby help preserve them and keep them in circulation. The good, old Belisle hybrids could use a good dose of these efforts, for example!

Olaf

How are everybody's propagation efforts coming along? I catch myself putting down leaves on a daily basis. I'm almost out of prop box space now... LOL

Begonia sizemoreae, 'Dewdrop', 'Edge Of Sunset', 'Daisy', 'Erythrophylla Helix' and Primulina USBRG 98-083, 'Deco' and 'Stardust' are already rooting in the boxes...

I have lots of AV babies that have to be separated from momma leaf. I'll be sure to save them all for the RR. They should be a nice size by the spring. I'll have some epicia plantlets also. Hopefully my mini-micro sin. 'Bright Eyes x self will live long enough. We should have a great RR come spring.

I started some episcia (including my ultra favorite Pink Smoke), a leaf or two from the AV's I like--Laser Celebration for sure and a couple more, Chrysothemis pulchella "Black Flamingo, Begonia "Springfield Queen", "Red Fred" and some others that I can't remember.

If only I had the room for 'Red Fred'. It's one of my favorite Begonias...

I have plenty of room for begonia. I just have four that I got in a trade, and now I'm looking for more. LOL

Be careful what you wish for... Begonias are like Gremlins, just like Gessies... LOL

I know, I know. Addiction is swift. just need a room stretcher. LOL

Oh ! I'll take that room stretcher when you are finished with it!

Right! I'll put it right next to that inflatable greenhouse... LOL

I havea the perfect spot for Fred. LOL

Oh, and 'Fred' looks real nice as a young plant as well. Maybe with some careful pruning and leaf removal... :)

Then I'll prune ole Fred a bit more, I'll have to start leaves, but they start really well. I'm going off to get more perlite!

How is everybody coming along with the preparation/propagation for the Spring RR?

I just potted up five large pots worth of Kohleria 'Strawberry Fields' rhizomes and one pot of Seemannia nematanthodes rhizomes, have some Gloxinella lindeniana, several other Kohlerias, Begonia 'Edge Of Sunset', Begonia 'Medora', Begonia 'Brazilian Lady', about twenty leaves of Saintpaulia 'Rob's Love Bite', a ton of Diastema vexans and a ton of different Sinningia seedlings coming up... OCD?!?! LOL

Olaf

I have named baby Saintpaulia growing. By spring they should be nice size plants to put in box. Will also have leaves availablle. I also have Epicia stolons rooting. I have about 30 sinningis Bright Eyes x self seedlings growing. They are so tiny, I have to figure a way to be able to ship them. Ideas are welcome. Cant wait for spring.

Micro minis gro rapidly once they are past a certain stage. They'll be blooming size by the time of the RR and much easier to ship.

I started some begonias--does anyone want a piece of an heirloom B. erythrophylla? A great easy plant for a begonia newbie, or a kid's first plant. This originally came from my friend's neighbor, who got it from her mother. I have Red Fred leaves starting, Springfield Queen, and a couple of others.

I put down leaves of Apache Bandit, Laser Celebration, and some other goodies. I'm all about the variegated leaves!

Does anyone want a Viola banksii? It's good soil cover in a MOIST pot or large terrarium. I am going to take some cuttings, my Ficus benghalensis pot runneth over. It loves the same wet soil as the ficus.

Oh boy!!! The box will be full of surprises. What a great collection already. I just started with begonia. I got four cuttings of cane begonia in a trade not too long ago. I have them in pots and they are blooming their heads off. I can't wait for spring to put them in the front yard. I'm game for almost any type of plants, so for me, anything in the box is OK.

I hopefully will have Asarina seedlings, too. I know they were reclassified as another genus and I don't remember it, but it's the same plant. They're a nice little vine that someone on the ORV forum got for me, and I just love it.

B. 'Erythrophylla' is, indeed, a great, classic heirloom! I grow B. 'Erythrophylla Helix', which is basically the same but with spiraled leaves. Two leaves are already down for propagation and there may be a piece of rhizome come Spring. I would definitely be interested in a leaf of the standard form.

I just noticed that I'm answering three posts here... LOL

Viola banksii sounds great. I've seen this little cutie many years ago as a groundcover in a greenhouse and it was love at first sight... :)

I am so jealous of you people in the South who can use cane Begonias as landscaping plants - particularly the tall ones...

Us Northern dwellers are left with the "shorties", which are gorgeous plants as well. I think I should have some 'Tom Ment' and 'Fabulous Tom' cuttings by Spring.

I am not sure but I think that the genus Asarina got a taxonomic treatment and was split up into several genera. The "Climbing Snapdragons" that are commonly grown in gardens are now known as Maurandya (if it hasn't been renamed AGAIN...). The genus has been moved from Scrophulariaceae to Plantaginaceae, just like a ton of other genera. Everybody is a Plantain these days... LOL

Olaf

Anybody interested in "Silver Squill", Ledebouria socialis in the RR?

If so, just let me know and I'll start some... :)

I'd love to try those Olaf, but what are they? The picture is attractive.
Here's an Episcia that's about to get broken down and propagated for the RR and our clubs Mother Day sale.

That's a nice Episcia, Jamie! :)

Ledebouria socialis used to be known and grown as Scilla violacea. The plant used to be in the family Hyacinthaceae but is now in the expanded Asparagaceae.

It's an old classic among succulent collectors and goes in and out of fashion as a houseplant. The foliage is very attractive and so are the shiny, red bulbs that are above ground. The flowers are small and greenish yellow. Most people cut them off since they are not very attractive but I happen to leave them on the plant. It doesn't matter either way.

The plant will grow in pretty much any mix and thrives on neglect, little water and a bright East or West window.

Cool!

Gorgeous plants - I still have to look up some of the things posted above. I will be starting plants very shortly - I will have a list shortly.....

Okay, after checking my rubbermaid tub that I use to keep seedlings and cuttings warm, I have some begonia convolvulacea--this is a fantastic, easy to grow begonia with gorgeous apple-green leaves. The blooms are meh, but the foliage is so shiny, full and lovely, I don't care. I started a couple of Viola banksii, Sinningia Amanda's Copper Penny, Sinningia Cindy Ella, and a slew of Episcias, incl. some Pink Smoke, Blue Water, Witches Kiss, Jim's Canadian Sunset, and Sarah Beth. Streptocarpus Geronimo, Dracula's Shadow, and some other ones with supercool blossoms. I also have tiny (now) Ficus religiosa seedlings, I definitely have too many, and it's another lovely plant. The tree under which Buddha received his enlightenment...I don't know that mine has left me more enlightened, but it was pretty enough that people wanted me to start some seedlings :)

SPRING--- Please come quickly. I can't wait for the RR. It is going to be a very interesting one. It's a great way for us to try different gessies and plants.
I have Ledebouria that I received in a trade a few years back. I have them in pots. This spring I'm going to make a little succulent garden in the front yard under a palm tree. I received a bunch of staplia from a very generous forum member that will go in the ground with the ledebour in the middle, and a few more little succulents within the grouping. It should do well in this particular spot. It gets morning sun. I may try a few sinningia, but leave those in their pot. Will have to watch them closely for watering, though. It will be trial and error.

Try Sinningia macrostachya and leucotricha as they are very tough, can tolerate some drought and have been favorites among succulent collectors for a long time. :)

I can put some S. macrostachya cuttings into the RR. They root easily and grow pretty fast. After a year, the tuber is almost two inches across on my initial cutting.